A/N: I hope you are ready for several chapters in a month. Chapter 8 is almost ready! :3

Chapter 7: Things are getting desperate

Sora rushed in like he always did. "Roxas, are you here?" he yelled and Roxas wanted nothing more than to keep on playing, but he knew that Sora would go through every single room of the house to find him. Especially when he sounded as hyped up as he did at the moment.

"In my room." After a brief pause Roxas continued: "Come here, you're going to lose your voice if you keep yelling through the door."

He heard Sora's footsteps as he hurried trough the apartment. He slammed the door wide open and shut it again quietly after he saw Roxas grimace at the loud noise. "What are you doing?" Sora asked and sat on Roxas' bed. Roxas waved at the computer for an answer. Sora followed the hand with his gaze and smiled at the gesture. "The Game, of course. Should've known."

"What else would I be doing with the free time I get for not reading during the exam week?" Roxas smiled at Sora and for a moment they froze there. Roxas ignored the sounds coming out of his headphones, not worrying for his character. He was in a safe zone, his character waiting that Roxas had the time to turn his attention back to the magical world.

Sora's eyes lit up suddenly and it was clear that this would've been where a light bulb would be placed on top on his head in any cartoon. "Do you remember Riku's new job with Disney?"

Roxas nodded at the question. How could he forget? Disney was everywhere and Riku had not forgotten to show of the clothes he had managed to 'snatch' from the place he had visited the day he had to sign all the paperwork. Roxas had done his best not to associate Riku's face with everything that had Disney printed on it – he was wearing a shirt with the logo at the moment – and could only hope that the info Sora was about to share wouldn't make the job any harder.

"Um...His first gig is today! It's at the mall close by and it's just that, would you come with us, I mean Kairi and me, to cheer him on?" Sora said.

Of course the reason for Sora to be so overly excited had to be something Roxas would never be coaxed to. "Sorry, but no thank you. This world has lots and lots of more interesting things than seeing Riku show out some frilly clothes," Roxas answered and turned back to the computer, but Sora wasn't going to let him go so easy.

"It's the first time his on stage," Sora said. He tried not to sound overly persuasive, but was not succeeding. "I bet he's nervous and would use some encouragement," he kept insisting.

Roxas sighed but didn't turn back to him. "No. Besides, I don't think he needs nor wants me there. Especially not if he's nervous." Which he probably wasn't. Riku didn't seem to have any problem with self-confidence.

"Look, there are lots and lots of hot female models there! You could get someone's number or a date," Sora tried bribing, but Roxas chuckle and a quick, very much amused glance to his direction did the trick and he changed the tactic. "You wouldn't need to spend all this time alone if you came with us. Get some new friends maybe?"

Roxas was already tired of Sora's attempts to get him to come. He was actually far more annoyed and definitely more against going than he had been before Sora had even opened his mouth. "I like spending my time here, alone, with my computer. It doesn't talk back to me like people do. Like you right now." He gave a look that he hoped summarized his uninterested opinion.

"It's not healthy to spend all this time inside. You need to get fresh air," Sora said, and ignored the glare

Roxas shot him down instantly, without any real effort. "And how do you think I'd get 'fresh air'," He made quotation marks with his hands in the air. "At the mall? You know, inside a building?"

Now it was Sora's turn to roll his eyes. "We walk there, what else? It won't take more than twenty minutes and we'll get lots and lots of healthy exercise."

"I get enough healthy exercise in my struggle practises," Roxas snapped and turned finally from the computer. Couldn't Sora just understand that he needed his free time and he'd rather spend it with his, not Sora's friends?

This time it was Sora's turn to get angry. "You spend too much time on the computer!"

"It's the only way I can keep in touch with my online friends," Roxas said slowly but not any less angry.

Sora pouted. "But your real life friends need company too," he said obviously insulted.

Sora clearly needed some things to be explained to him. "Riku is not my friend," Roxas said.

Obviously that wasn't enough for Sora. "But why is that? I know that you didn't like his attitude when you met him for the first time and I admit, he was an arrogant asshole towards you but he's not that bad anymore,"

"Well hey, that's terrific. Why don't you go spend all your free time with him and leave me here?" Roxas tried to keep his anger at bay with sarcasm, but it wasn't going to last long. Next step would be flat out yelling.

Sora's voice was almost as angry as Roxas'. "Well that's because…" He had no change to rest his sentence before the doorbell ringing cut him off. He looked at Roxas one more time and left the room, slamming the door after him. Outside Roxas could hear how he greeted Kairi with only a trace of anger left in his voice. Roxas rolled his eyes, put the headphone on his ears and got back to the Game.

He couldn't keep it up for long until the door opened and someone stepped in. Roxas turned in his chair, ready to yell at Sora again, but stopped when he saw Kairi. She had her back on the closed door and her eyes on the floor. "Umm, hi?" Roxas didn't know what to say. What was she doing in his room?

"Sora sent me to coax you to come with us," she said. Roxas was just about to say something about how he wasn't coming, but she kept talking before he was able to say anything. "But I'm not going to make you. It's your own thing to decide if you want to come," Kairi said and looked at Roxas for the first time after she had come to the room. "But you should know that this is important to Sora. You are his family and we are his friends. He wants to keep his family and friends in good terms so could you please just pretend you don't hate Riku? It would make Sora happy."

Roxas just stared at her. What could he say to that without seeming like an emotionless jerk? "I don't hate Riku. I just don't like the way Sora thinks everything he wants to do is automatically better than what I want. It has nothing to do with Riku, that feud is long gone." Because he couldn't come up with anything else to say, he defended himself.

Kairi smirked at him. "What if we bribe you with some ice cream?" she said and her smirk melted to a real smile. "Please?"

Roxas was not willing to sell his ideas. Besides, he was not good enough friends with Riku to go through a fashion show just because of him. "I'm sorry, but I have stuff that needs to be done. I can't come as much as I'd like to," he said and didn't mean any of it. Anything to get everyone off his back.

"Okay, I understand. Like I said, it's none of our business what you do," she said. She wasn't smiling anymore. She left the room and in a few minutes Roxas could hear the door closing. They had finally left without him and he was free to keep on playing. An hour later he had forgotten the whole fight and everything Kairi had said.

xXx

It took almost a week before karma took her revenge. The sky was pouring down and Roxas was running with Naminé at his side along the street desperately seeking for shelter from the storm. There was little hope of finding a place before they would be completely soaked because the rain had surprised them while wandering in the suburbs. An underpass or a coffee house, whichever they'd cross first, was what they were now searching for.

There had been no clouds to warn them in the morning when the plans for the day had been made. Today was the last day of school and the first day of the summer holidays, a day worth celebrating. The plan had been a picnic in a nice park with a cute little pond not that far from where Roxas and Naminé found themselves now, but it was not worth thinking about the sunshine and ice-cream and talking about future till nightfall as those plans would have to be moved to another day. They kept running until a turn around the corner revealed the very welcomed sight of a sign with an ad for cheap coffee on it. It wasn't a large place, this coffee house, but a cosy one that advertised freshly backed pastries at its windows and had an old lady taking care of the job of the cashier. The bell fastened to the handle jingled as they entered.

"I never noticed the clouds gathering," Roxas laughed as he inspected how his clothes had survived the rain. Naminé looked at least as soaked and didn't enjoy the way her white dress clustered itself on her skin. The warmth of the place and the smell of the advertised pastries quickly brought a happy smile on both faces. Many of the customers looked like they were refugees from the rain just like the two, Roxas noticed this as he turned his attention to the environment. However, there seemed to be no empty tables.

"Is there still room for us two?" Roxas questioned as he glanced at the pouring rain outside and then back at Naminé. The thought going back to the rain didn't tempt him at all.

"There has to be a table," Naminé stated firmly and it didn't take long before she delighted pointed at a table that was easy to miss. It was the one furthest away, by the wall and almost behind the counter with the delicious pastries. "I'll go there and take care it stays empty. You bring us something to warm our hands with. Okay?" she ordered and smiled as Roxas nodded.

There was nobody queuing for food and Roxas managed to quickly order and get two mugs of hot chocolate. The large and steaming portions of hot chocolate covered with whipped cream were just what they needed to forget their misfortune with today's plans. Roxas returned to the table and gave one to the girl eagerly waiting for it, sat down and focused on enjoying the way the hot cup warmed his hands. Both Roxas and Naminé used a moment to sniff the lovely scent rising from the cups before even sighing from relief. It hadn't exactly been how they had planned on beginning their holidays, but it wasn't actually that unpleasant just to sit and relax while the storm continued its raving outside.

"Hey! That's my place," a voice informed suddenly behind Roxas' back. Roxas had been lost in his thoughts deeply enough not to realise someone had come so close to them. Judging from Naminé's expression so had she." Get away from there," the man standing now right at their table commanded semi-politely. He was holding a tray with a steaming mug and a slice of cake. Roxas went through several ways of telling the man that there had not been his name on the table before he even bothered to look up and realised who it was. It didn't look like it took Axel any longer to recognise a familiar face.

"Hi," Roxas greeted and Axel acknowledged the greeting with a short nod. But Roxas paid no real attention to the gesture, he was too busy staring at Axel's face. "What have you done to-" Roxas began, but was cut short by Naminé.

"Oh, we didn't realise... We are sorry, but there really was nobody sitting here," Naminé apologized and smiled prettily. "I don't think anyone will have a problem with sharing the table?" Like always, Naminé tried the easiest solution first. Usually it worked, but this time Roxas had his doubts that would happen.

It came as a surprise when Axel just shrugged. "Why not?" He placed his cup of tea on the table and sat down without greater ado. Roxas moved swiftly over to Naminé's side of the table and Naminé smiled pleased at him.

"It wasn't that hard to solve, right?" she pointed out pleased with herself. Roxas didn't show his surprise about how smoothly the situation was handled. Axel said nothing to either of them and concentrated on staring out of the window. The extra people on "his" table didn't bother him at all. Roxas, on the other hand, couldn't think of anything he and Naminé could speak about now that there was a third person listening. Anything Roxas and Naminé usually talked about probably wasn't all that interesting in Axel's opinion, but it felt still awkward to talk as normal when a stranger was present – semi-stranger. Naminé sensed the same and struggled a moment to find something to break the silence with.

"Awful weather," Naminé stated. It sounded stupid to Roxas' ear. It was a fact that nobody could have missed today and speaking about weather had always felt desperate and awkward. Still, Roxas found himself agreeing aloud and nodding to make his point even clearer. Axel glanced at them amused. He placed the cup he had been holding in his hands on the table and crossed his arms before asking them to continue with an urging nod.

Naminé wasn't prepared to the reaction and it was up to Roxas to get the conversation going. He looked at Axel to get a hint of what he wanted him to say. The redhead glanced at Naminé as to ask who the hell she was. It reminded Roxas annoyingly of mom's way of just expecting everything to be explained when she demanded it. Anyhow, there really was no reason to be impolite and Roxas had to admit he had been quite rude the last times he and Axel had met so this was kind of a way to show he did know how to be polite. His mother would be proud. "Naminé is a friend from school. And Naminé, this is Axel," Roxas gave the quickest introduction possible as he really didn't know what more there was to say. He might have explained how he kept bumping into Axel at the oddest occasions, but it really didn't seem worth mentioning.

Naminé was surprised when Roxas introduced them. "So you're Axel," she said after a short silence and Roxas looked at her surprised by the words. She smiled reassuring. "Roxas has mentioned your name, but has failed to tell anything more. So Axel, how do you two know each other?"

The wondering look on Axel's face disappeared and he smiled back. "We're neighbours," he explained and leaned comfortably back the steaming mug of tea back in his hands. "I live one floor down," he specified. He acted almost like the situation didn't annoy him at all. "So. You mentioned school," Axel pointed his words to Roxas. "You're in high school right?"

"Yeah," Roxas answered. "It's basically art-oriented."

Axel raised his eyebrows. "So you can paint?"

Roxas shook his head. "Don't tell Sora this, but I chose my school mostly because he's no there." he had no idea why he told Axel this. "Naminé on the other hand is really good. You should see some of her sketches."

Naminé blushed, but Axel settled for just a small "hmm" and sip of the tea. Talking about school wasn't probably high on the list of interesting conversations with someone like Axel. Adults didn't really care about a high school kid's daily life as far as Roxas knew. How old was Axel even? "You probably study something?" Roxas asked. He made the questions only to keep the conversation going, he didn't actually need to know what Axel made with his life.

Axel shook his head and didn't answer right away like he was thinking what to say. "Psychology, if it's any interesting. Probably should be writing my thesis project by now, but not really there yet," Axel said. "I got time though. The job at the bar is more of a priority right now."

"Didn't you work at the store now?" Roxas asked knowing that he had an unhealthy interest in Axel's working history. "I don't think cashiers get paid any better... It isn't because of money?"

Axel didn't answer and Naminé who had listened to the exchange of words closely without a chance to interfere before now gladly used the break. "Roxas, I wouldn't like to be a burden..." she begun and Roxas knew right away what to expect.

"You want me to get you some more hot chocolate?"

She smiled. "Yes, that's it. And bring some of those pastries too." Roxas didn't find it necessary to decline and left to fulfil her wish. When he returned he found Naminé explaining their day in more detail. It didn't bother him to let Axel hear about it, it had been an ordinary day with a dull but happily a short ceremony at the beginning and then some ice-cream and then the rain. Naminé seemed to enjoy herself and Axel politely listened her explanation on how they had searched for a place to warm themselves up. Roxas returned to the table and gave the ordered items to the girl and concentrated then in taking small draughts from his hot chocolate and let her take care of the talking.

When Naminé finally quieted, Roxas got the opportunity to ask the question he had wanted to ask from the beginning of the conversation. "When did you do that to your face?" Axel knew right away what he was talking about and so did Naminé.

"These?" Axel asked and pointed at his cheeks. "Do you like them?"

"They are unique," Naminé tried carefully.

"Interesting," Roxas said. "Is there a story behind them?"

"I take that as a compliment," Axel grinned.

"I thought that cashiers weren't allowed to have facial tattoos," Roxas wondered.

"I'm a cashier no more," Axel declared and put an end to the wondering. He didn't look like he enjoyed been reminded about the job and Roxas knew to stop asking questions without Naminé giving a hinting look. "I quit there and these are to honour that," Axel explained and sounded proud though Roxas found the reason for the tattoos odd.

"How did you dare to do something like that?" Naminé asked. "Those won't go anywhere. What if you'd like to work again in a place where tattoos a not allowed?" she worried.

Axel shook his head and grinned. "I don't think I will ever be in a situation like that again. That is half of the promise behind these marks. If I can't work in a boring place because of them, I'm not meant to work there."

"That's some bravery you need to decide something like that," Naminé admired.

Or stupidity. Roxas hid his face behind the mug as if the thought could be seen from his face. "So, if you quit your job there and you have 'problems' at the bar, what do you do now?"

"Work at Tifa's like usually," Axel said and that was the end of that conversation.

Roxas was confused. "But you said... I thought you meant that you quit your work there?" Naminé seemed to have lost all interest in trying to follow the conversation. She knew nothing about what they were talking about and there were no explanations coming, that was for sure. She started poking at the food Roxas had brought here, lemon coloured cake that smelled nice.

Axel laughed at Roxas bewilderment. "She tried to kick me out of there, that is the original story put short," he was nice enough to explain. "But she needed my help and hired me again pretty quickly. The job at the supermarket was just a sad error of a poor student. No need to talk about that piece of history anymore. Let the memory rest in peace. Do you follow my working history now?"

Roxas nodded and tried to hide his embarrassment. He'd been too noisy and Axel wasn't being exactly subtle about pointing that out.

xXx

There was only as much as reassuring yourself could do. Axel knew right from the start that this was a doomed idea and everything would end up in a disaster, but it was train-wreck-syndrome all over. Axel was aching for the old company and he just couldn't stop trying. He had invited Xigbar for a cup of coffee last Sunday, and even though they had indeed met over a cup of coffee, nothing had changed. Axel was as isolated from the clan as ever. Xigbar hadn't really taken well into the new environment, and the truth to be said, neither had Axel. Neither had said it aloud, but it was no question.

Today was a desperate Thursday, an evening of a sunny day, and a day when Axel felt more alone than in a long while. And against all odds, Axel had decided that a second try might change things. He kept telling himself that there was always the opportunity that chancing a minor detail would make all the difference.

This wasn't the same place they had met last time. The small coffee house Axel had chosen on the spot, talking on the phone, afraid that he'd soon be caught of a stupid lie, had proven to be a nice enough location for a group accustomed for quiet living out in the suburbs, but not for Xigbar and Axel. The coffee house was tiny and cute, almost homey, and none of this was what Xigbar had been expecting or wanting. So Axel had made some changes for that. This time he had chosen one at the centre of the city, near the nightlife and people. This place was more of a popular one, had paintings of light stripes and neon coloured tables, furniture that screamed design to you – cheap design. This place, "name", pretended to be a bar, that was obvious, and there were college students everywhere and a couple of high school kids playing to be adults among them, trying to blend in. It was clear that Xigbar felt more like home immediately after stepping in through the glass doors.

The second thing that Axel had decided to change was the timing. It was no morning now. The sun had started already to set, it shone pale nearer the horizon than the midday mark up in the skies. Streetlights were already lighted though it wasn't dark enough outside that their blue colour could have been seen. It was a nice summery evening, warm and fuzzy, with people passing behind the slightly darkened windows without rush.

"I don't get this," Xigbar stated right out loud. They had collected the first cups coffee for the night and chosen a table with dark, leathery couches to sit on next to it. Xigbar was already glancing around, suspicious of the situation.

"Go on," Axel ushered and pretended that he wasn't nervous about the evening at all. He sprawled as best as he could on the couch he had conquered and kept his hand stretched out to the mug, moving the spoon slowly, mixing the generous amounts of sugar in. Xigbar's coffee stood unmoved, he liked it black evidently, while the man himself kept his hands on the armrest.

"What happened to you?" Xigbar asked and didn't care that these same questions had already been asked.

"Nothing. I just realized that I enjoy the smell, the taste of coffee. The mood here. It's not what the bars have to offer. This place even gives you opportunity to laugh at the kids trying to blend among the professionals," Axel said self-assured, guided Xigbar to peek over to his left where two uncertain kids leaned to the counter, looking over the crowd, trying to copy from too many, many movies.

"And when did you have any interest in high schoolers? They're boring, predictable," Xigbar stated and gave Axel a stern look. Axel sifted his focus back to his friend and tried to hide behind a grin. Yeah, he didn't care if some kids made fools of themselves. Xigbar took one small sip from his coffee, but never let Axel out of his sight. He kept looking at the redhead, not angry, not expecting anything specific, just waiting for...something.

Axel shrugged, not knowing really why, and allowed himself to relax. Shit, he was just ruining everything with his nervousness before anything at all had happened. "Quite a lot like a bar, this place," Axel tried coax Xigbar into talking.

"A poor try," Xigbar answered nonchalantly. He looked at the place, shook his head. "It's missing the sounds. The right people."

Axel only murmured something agreeing and was almost ready to give up. They never used to have these problems. "What do we usually talk about?"

"I don't know. The Game? Your miserable life?" Xigbar suggested and for a moment it looked like this had been the spark needed to light up the conversation. "The Roxas kiddo has been a good addition to the clan."

"Old news," Axel laughed. "But he had a good timing. I think the developers of the Game have finally found their inspiration again. The quest for the dragon? I'll swear that's the record for surprise-attacks in a single plot."

Xigbar smirked, but had nothing to really add to the conversation. Axel allowed him the time he needed, occupying himself with the latte he had ordered, licking the whipped cream that got lost on his lips. Xigbar shook his head at the sigh, maybe amused, and glanced down at the still steaming mug of coffee resting right in front of him. "Can't remember you being really a coffee drinker," he remarked.

"Yeah, it's not an old habit. Things happened and... changed," Axel stated at first strong, but losing a bits of the self-assurance once he realised he had nothing to say. No joke prepared, nothing witty, no punch lines waiting. He didn't feel like this was going anywhere. Why was it that it had been easier before? What had changed so much that there was really nothing to say?

"Care to tell details?"

"Sure," Axel nodded after a moment's hesitation. He wanted to tell a story, but the problem was that he had not yet come up with the right way to tell it. He usually had many tales of his adventures thought through when he entered the bars; His exaggerated life was good for keeping the audience enthralled and paying his drinks. A Drinker Turned into a Coffee Addict, that's not a title you sell easily.

Xigbar didn't complain about the pause, but Axel couldn't ignore its existence. Everything was always about timing. "I need more coffee first," Axel sighed.

"Axel, you've half of yours still unfinished."

"Oh." Shit. Really keeping this under control.

"It's soon seven o'clock. We could go and find a real place. Get something to get your mind working," Xigbar advised and something a mix of a smile and a grin flashed on his face. "You seem like a mess of nerves right now."

"And when did you turn into my personal shrink? Booze for every prescription?" Axel laughed.

"You can't deny its effectiveness."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I need to be in working condition tomorrow morning. And I didn't plan a night out drinking," Axel declined.

"Your loss," Xigbar stated and didn't pursue the thought any longer. "So are you getting to the story or not?"

"About me and Coffee?"

"Rather about you and the chick with boobs."

"Tifa? Shit, Xigbar. She's nothing I'd be interested in. And she's taken."

"And that has meant something for the Casanova before? We just came up with this theory with Saïx about your strange behaviour. She's the only one I've ever heard has almost managed to keep you in a leash."

"Tifa?" Axel laughed genuinely for the first time during the night. "She's mad about Cloud and there's no way I'd get between. She's has no control what so ever over me. Poor Saïx. He's lost it for good."